Controlled Triple-Phase Viscosity:
Arctic Silver 5 does not contain any silicone. The suspension fluid is a proprietary mixture of advanced polysynthetic oils that work together to provide three distinctive functional phases. As it comes from the tube, Arctic Silver 5's consistency is engineered for easy application. During the CPU's initial use, the compound thins out to enhance the filling of the microscopic valleys and ensure the best physical contact between the heatsink and the CPU core. Then the compound thickens slightly over the next 50 to 200 hours of use to its final consistency designed for long-term stability.
(This should not be confused with conventional phase change pads that are pre-attached to many heatsinks. Those pads melt each time they get hot then re-solidify when they cool. The viscosity changes that Arctic Silver 5 goes through are much more subtle and ultimately much more effective.)

Not Electrically Conductive:
Arctic Silver 5 was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity.
(While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)

Customer reviews

ALWAYS use Arctic Silver!

Reviewed by
Mark P.
Review Posted
15/08/2010

55

I've built several PCs over the years, and I always make sure that I use Arctic Silver between the CPU and the heatsink.

It's easy to apply (a bit messy though!) - the instructions on the website are good; for my latest build with a Phenon X4 965 and an Akasa 4HP Nickel cooler, I polished some AS5 onto the base of the cooler, and then spread a thin layer onto the CPU die (smoothing/levelling with a cleaned credit card; I used to use a Stanley knife blade but didn't have a fresh one to hand). CPU - running at over 3.4GHz - now operates at less than 40C... what more could you ask for?

Overall

Ease of use

Value for money

Good stuff...

Reviewed by
Gary.
Review Posted
13/01/2009

55

I'm no pro when it comes to this stuff so read a load of reviews online to see what's the best thermal paste to use on my new system build. Many said this was the way to go.

Had overclocking in mind, so wanted everything to run as cool as possible...

Used in 2 systems up to now, and seems to be okay. Fairly easy to use, just go to website and it shows pictures of how to apply to different processors.

If like me you're not too sure about these things, then go for this as it seems to do the job well...

Overall

Ease of use

Value for money

The opinions expressed in this reviews section are those of our customers and not of dabs.com. Nothing contained herein amends dabs.com’s terms and conditions.

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